I Just Woke Up Like This (No, Really!) — Here's How

Sometimes the no-makeup makeup look takes as much work as full-on made-up. So when you're going for "just woke up like this," not "I spent an hour perfecting this no-makeup makeup look," follow these 5 steps to really, truly fake it.

One of my main makeup goals is to look like a well-rested, well-hydrated, well-nourished version of myself. In reality, I’m constantly slightly sleep deprived, I am dehydrated, and I just finished eating a slice of lemon pound cake. (I’m working on getting better I promise!)

This is where my no-makeup makeup look comes in. But if there’s anything I’ve learned, no-makeup makeup is actually harder to achieve than a full-out glam look. Read on for my tips to achieving a flawless “I really did wake up like this” look.

Prep your skin

The biggest key to your no-makeup makeup look is making sure your skin is prepped properly. When I do no-makeup makeup, I don’t wear foundation, so they key is to mimic the look of foundation (smooth, radiant skin) without that extra layer.

In the AM, I mist my skin with the Blanc and Eclare mist in between each step of my skincare routine. Yes, each step. This makes my skin super hydrated without the oiliness. And then I come in with the ultimate no-makeup makeup super cream, the Missha Glow Skin Balm. This balm makes you look like the dewy dumpling that Nam Vo knows you are, without adding extra oil.

Use concealer strategically

Even though I don’t use foundation, I like to go in and cover up any dark spots and brighten my under-eyes with a little concealer. The key here is “little.” We aren’t baking or doing that crazy intense under-eye highlight thing that the kids are doing nowadays. Simple dot your concealer under your eyes and on your spots, and use your finger or a damp beauty blender to blend in. Try to pick a concealer that matches closely to your skin tone for this step!

Powder the T-zone

I’m all about the glow, but listen, I’m an oily girl, and my nose and chin really do the absolute most. This is where I come in with a bit of translucent powder. The key is to apply it ONLY to your T-zone — you want to look glowy and natural, and remember, matte skin is not natural-looking, no matter what people tell you. I rotate between using my Fenty Beauty powder or my M.A.C Mineralize Skin Finish powder.

Cream eyeshadow is your best friend

I loooove a pop of color on the lid. Whenever I’m doing a natural look, I like to use a cream eyeshadow and blend it in using my fingers. You want it to look a little messy, a little unpolished, a little bit like “oh yeah, I just casually got ready this morning, ya like?” The Marc Jacobs Beauty O!mega Gel Powder Eyeshadow in the chocolate matte brown shade is my JAM for this. It looks like you’ve tried, but not too hard, which is the ultimate mood.

Comb your brows and do your lashes

The final step is to groom your brows and throw on some waterproof mascara. I like to use a clean eyebrow spoolie to brush my eyebrows in place, then go over them with a clear brow mascara to keep them in place. I don’t like to fill in my brows on my no-makeup makeup days because it kinda takes me from “oh wow you’re so laid back” to “ma’am you’re trying too hard.” As far as the waterproof mascara goes, I’ve always thought that waterproof is truly the only way to go — you’ll never have to worry about having raccoon eyes.

What are your tips for achieving a flawless no-makeup makeup look? Let me know in the comments!